Grady Shaffer, 81, of Bevil Oaks, died Thursday, November, 25, 2010, at his residence. Born in Beaumont on October 25, 1929, to Alice (Honeycut) and Henry William Grady Shaffer, he was the owner of L & W X-ray Company until it was sold. All who met him while in business loved and respected him.
Grady was a man that enjoyed bass fishing so much that while some of his sons ran the businesses in Beaumont, Waco, Tyler and Houston, he fished seven months out of every year at Lake Sam Rayburn on Caney Creek. During the boys’ younger years he never missed a ball game or practice. He was the Booster Club president and 4-H Leader and was also the best man at all of their weddings. He was fondly referred to as “Big Daddy” by all of his family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Lyska (Stockholm) Shaffer of Bevil Oaks; children, Gary Shaffer and his wife Terilee of College Station, Cody Shaffer of Fairbanks, Alaska, Scot Shaffer and his wife Carol of Normangee, Kent Shaffer and his wife Rhonda of Austin, and Lyska Ann Hall and her husband Richard of Vidor; thirteen grandchildren; and thirteen great-grandchildren.
Grady always said it was all these children that kept him alive even with a bad heart. He attended South Park Schools until age 15 when he moved to Anahuac to live with his sister. While there he worked in the rice fields and was a star football player as a line back and running back.
After graduation he moved back to Beaumont and met a 14 year old girlfriend. Grady and Lyska married on her 17th birthday and had been married sixty-one and a half years. Grady was always a hard working, self made man. At the age of 25, while working eight-hour shifts for Air Reduction Sales Company, he built the home they still share using only a hammer, handsaw, level and square; he finished in four months. Before marriage, he loved to ride bare back and rode bulls in rodeos.
His memorial service will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 1, 2010, at First Baptist Church of Bevil Oaks, 7725 Sweetgum Road. Cremations arrangements are under the direction of Broussard’s Crematorium, 5150 Stivers Drive, Beaumont.
In lieu of flowers, his family wishes for you to use your time or money to help a friend or someone in need.
